Electrical Problem After Swapping Pedals - What have I done??? Headlights turn on CEL

M!KE K!NG

I need some help...really badly. I have a 91 DX wagon. All drivetrain and electrical is stock, as far as i know.

I just went through replacing my pedal assembly with a CRX pedal assembly, which involves taking out the seat and fuse box & dropping the steering column. When I put every thing back together, I was a little too eager to start the car and run it, and I may have made a big mistake.

I did not reattach the "MAIN RELAY" part number RZ-0063 to anything. Truth be told, I can't remember for the life of me where that metal bracket attached. I am not sure if that is my biggest problem honestly. Is the metal bracket on the back of this relay a grounding point?

When I started the car, It ran for about 5 seconds, the check engine light popped up and the car shut down before i even turned the key off.
Now my headlights turn on my check engine light, the defogger switch turns on a buzzer, the hazard button makes the heat gauge go all the way up.
The "alternator solenoid valve" fuse was blown.

When i attach the battery I get a dim CEL, if I turn the headlights on i get a bright CEL, even if the key is off. The car starts and runs. But the CEL stays on.

I am pretty handy when it comes to turning wrenches, but am terrified of electrical stuff. There is a very discouraging electrical fire smell in my car.

My main questions are:
1. Are there any 2 plugs on a stock wiring harness that i could have just plugged in backwards or accidentally swapped while putting the fuse box back in?
2. Where do I bolt part number RZ-0063? (photo encouraged)
3. Should i be trying to pull back my passenger carpet and start checking the CEL codes? ..or am i just Boned?

New engine/wiring harness/eco was my plan from the start, but i am not ready for all that yet. If anyone has any suggestions please help.

I can post a youtube video showing how it's acting if someone thinks that might help. I did my best to search the forums for this type of issue and i had trouble finding what a was looking for. Feel free to call me a noob, and then add a link to helpful threads.

Thanks in advance for the help

- M!KE K!NG

NZ-DB8R

Sounds like you have crushed a wire that is shorting out somewhere and possibly have a loose earth

darktrickster

The main relay does not need to be bolted down, the metal tab on it is not connected to any electrical part. Your problem is going to be related to the fuse box or a smashed wire. Remove it and make sure it is not grounding any live wires to any metal parts. Check to see if you have melted any wires which can lead to shorts inside the harness (maybe explaining the weird results from various switches on your dash). If that all checks out, NZ is probably correct in that you accidently got a wire stuck between two metal surfaces that got smashed and consequently shorted. If your lucky, it was a fused wire. After you do all that, check all your fuses and make sure they are all good and see what you get. Not sure if any of the plugs swap back and forth. Good luck!

M!KE K!NG

Thanks for the information guys. I talked to a couple different civic guys I know and got about same response you are giving me. (smashed wire/melted wires)

I JUST FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM. Apparently I am the only person stupid enough to ever do this (or the only one shameless enough to admit to it in the forums).

There are 2 identical plugs that go to the fuse box. Identical, except for the fact that one is blue and one is white. I had the blue one hooked to the connector that is attached to the side of the fuse box. I had the white one hooked into the middle of the box where the blue one should have gone.

I still can't believe i did that.

Replaced a few fuses...hooked everything up right...and now all seems right in my little civic's world.

NZ-DB8R

Good to hear your found it. Its easy enough to do.
I almost did the same on my ITR, had to google myself a fuse box diagram to find out where they went (my diagram is in Japanese and was of no use)